(College of the Redwoods/Contributed)
When we talk about higher education, we rarely talk about accreditation unless the institution has some accreditation issues. What does it mean to be an accredited institution? Here’s the short answer: An accredited institution that has been assessed through a transparent peer review process means that the institution meets quality standards set by an accredited accrediting body, giving students confidence that they are studying at a reputable and trustworthy institution.
Redwood College’s accreditation process has been difficult at times. However, we have worked extremely hard over the past several years to demonstrate to the Accrediting Commission on Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and the public that College of the Redwoods meets or exceeds accreditation standards for quality of education and is continually improving as an institution. Despite the challenges, we have maintained our accreditation since 1967. Now, after a six-year cycle, we are preparing to reaffirm our comprehensive accreditation. Part of the comprehensive review process is the development of an Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER).
What is ISER? Organizations use the ISER development process to evaluate themselves regarding eligibility requirements, accreditation standards, and other commission policies. We are directed to consider the quality of our programs and services, our effectiveness in supporting student success, and the degree to which we meet the standards set by our institution.
The College spent countless hours reflecting on how well we designed and implemented a continuous and systematic assessment and reassessment cycle, how well we linked integrated planning and resource allocation to our mission and strategic values, how we viewed our programs and services with particular attention to program review and student learning outcomes, and how we prepared and implemented Institutional plans for improvement supported by adequate sources of data and other evidence.
I am pleased to announce that the CR Board of Trustees has approved our ISER for submission to the ACCJC on December 12. We could not have reached this important milestone without the tremendous work of our Accreditation Oversight Committee. I would like to publicly thank the AOC members for devoting their time and energy to our accreditation efforts: Sean Thomas, Peter Blakemore, Kerry Mayer, Crital Morse, Julie Gilbride, Molly Blackmore, Nicole Bryant Lesher, Amber Buntin, Lee Dooley, Mike Haley, Rory. Johnson, Philip Mancus, Amy Moffat, Abigail Quinn, Austin Roberts, Augusta Solem, Tammy Engman, Colleen Trujillo, and Rachel Wares.
I believe our ISER is a testament to the hard work of our trustees, administrators, faculty, and staff—as well as their outstanding competence and commitment to excellence. I am confident that the answer to the question “Are we meeting the standard?” It’s an emphatic “yes.”
After we submit our ISER to the ACCJC, the next step will be to appoint an evaluation team consisting of peers from other community colleges to review our ISER and visit the region. District employees and students, as well as the general public, may submit third-party comments to the ACCJC at any time. Anyone interested in making such a comment can visit the college accreditation home page on our website where they will find a link that will take them directly to an online form located on the ACCJC website. To ensure evaluation by the 2024 external peer evaluation team, third-party feedback must be received no later than five weeks before the evaluation team’s visit, which will be in the fall of 2024.
Any written comments must be signed and include:
• Name of the third party
• phone number
• Return the title
• Date of the message
• Company name
• Affiliation or relationship with the institution
• Comment on quality, effectiveness, etc.
• The evidence on which you base your comment
Comments can be mailed to:
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 428 J Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814
Online comments may also be submitted to the ACCJC online through the Third Party Comments form at https://accjc.org/forms/third-party-comments/.
Dr. Keith Flammer is President of College of the Redwoods.
College affairs are a critical aspect of higher education, impacting everything from curriculum development to student support services. One important aspect of college affairs is the accreditation process, which plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and integrity of educational institutions. In a recent article in the Times-Standard, the significance of accreditation in college affairs was highlighted, emphasizing the role of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (CR) in evaluating and approving colleges in California. This article explores the impact of accreditation on college affairs and the role CR plays in ensuring the quality of education in the state.